by Christina Merikas, age 9

“In a small kingdom called Aliville, people were walking around the marketplace selling and buying goods. The town had small houses and a large school. The people were happy because there had been no wars for seven years since the evil Maia declared war on the crown.”

In a small kingdom called Aliville, people were walking around the marketplace selling and buying goods. The town had small houses and a large school. The people were happy because there had been no wars for seven years since the evil Maia declared war on the crown. Aliville almost lost, but it didn’t because it fought back. Meanwhile in the castle, Queen Alison was hanging out with her best friend, a servant named Ava. Queen Alison wore a crown with a red and yellow dress. The dress had a red base with yellow dots. Queen Alison had ruled for eight years. She had many friends. Her friends were named Kate, Gabi, and Mira. She had more than three friends, though. I just can’t say them all. She was a good queen because she treated everyone nicely and fairly.

Her two knights, named Sir Connor the Great and Lord C, were training in the courtyard. The knights wore silver armor. The castle was huge and had over 60 rooms with high tech TVs. The castle was gray, and it smelled like honey. That’s because the chef was always making something with honey. The castle had servants’ quarters, a room for the queen, and the knights shared a room. The knights practiced in a room with swords, armor, and arrows. After the knights trained, they both went to their room to play video games. If they were tired of video games, they played baseball.

“What’s the news?” Queen Alison asked, as she turned on the TV.

“News today is Evil Queen Maia has been seen shopping at the market,” the news reporter said.

“She’s been seen doing WHAT?!” Queen Alison shouted. Queen Alison was not happy that the evil queen was in her kingdom.

While Queen Maia was shopping, she went in the bathroom. “My plan just needs one more thing, then I will get revenge!” Queen Maia said. Seven years ago, Queen Maia wanted to be queen. Queen Alison said she wanted to be queen. Then, Queen Maia proposed a war because she was older than Alison. Queen Alison won. Now, Queen Maia wanted revenge. She felt angry because she got banished to the woods. Alison had killed all of Maia’s soldiers.

Then there was a loud boom outside. Next, there was moaning. “ALISON! GET OUT HERE NOW!!!” Queen Maia shouted. Usually, Queen Maia wore a black dress with red dots. Now she wore gold armor. Queen Alison panicked.

“Knights, get out to the lawn!” Queen Alison cried. The knights came out.

“Oh no,” said Sir Connor.

“What?” asked Alison. She was facing the castle.

“That,” Lord C said, as she pointed behind Alison. Alison looked behind herself. Her face turned pale as a sheet when she saw what it was.

Zombies. Green, disgusting zombies.

They looked like humans but green and missing some arms or legs. “ZOMBIES!!!” Queen Alison screamed. Lord C and Sir Connor drew their swords.

At the front of the 1,000 zombie army, there was Queen Maia. “GET THEM!!!” Queen Maia ordered her zombies. It was a nice day, warm and breezy. The grass was green and there were a lot of flowers. Queen Alison hated spending a day like this at war. Plus, the zombies were stinky.

“MAN YOUR STATIONS!!!” shouted Lord C.

Three minutes before the zombies attacked, Ava was washing dishes in the kitchen with her headphones on. When she finished drying the plates and putting them away, she went to look for Queen Alison to tell her she was done. But, Queen Alison wasn’t in the throne room. In fact, nobody was in the throne room. They must be outside in the courtyard, Ava thought to herself. Ava went to the big double doors at the front of the castle, twisted the golden doorknob, and stepped out into a sea of screaming royal guards.

Everywhere she looked, Ava saw green-skinned zombies with missing limbs punching soldiers in the face and soldiers stabbing zombies with their swords. Queen Alison and her knights were fighting alongside the soldiers in the courtyard. The queen was shouting in rage with her eyes and mouth wide open. She lunged and stabbed a zombie through the heart with her royal sword.

As it died, the zombie moaned, “Gadgjhvjhd,mvnkjmvjbnvlkjhv,dmbkjhsgfjhgjhgshjbjhjhgjyhgghggygjhguybhrtwryfrghghgfhhbjhjhjgfhnbghcfdgfjyhghgfdhjmhgfdghhkjfxiufkjfnkjiujfaky!88887u! hfjhhh.375384238!!!” Its voice sounded like a screeching cat stuck in a drain pipe.

Ava understood everything the creature said because she had taken a course in zombie studies during her training. What the zombie said was, “Oh no. Please don’t kill me! As tradition calls, I will recite numbers as I die: 88887u… oh wait, ‘u’ is not a number. 375384238!”

Why are we killing these poor, defenseless monsters? Ava thought. Just then, she heard another zombie calling out from the center of the courtyard. It was an old, male zombie with a long, gray beard that reached to down to his green toes and eyebrows so fluffy they covered his eyes. He was wounded. A soldier had stabbed him in the foot with a sword, and it was shaking and bleeding purple. Ava felt like she had to do something. As the maid, it was her duty to clean up every mess in the castle, including the courtyard. She calmly walked through the battle. Nobody noticed at first as she walked up to the wounded zombie and started talking to him in his language.

“Afh bighyou sfnshjhhdg dacdsgdgsuf?” she asked in a voice that sounded like groans. Are you okay?

The zombie tilted his head in shock. His eyebrows floated up like white, furry hedgehogs. “Zxdchsjhsshjshbgdfjkvgdhjfgdjhgvgdyfgafygiydfsgywgtfuycgdsuydfgsyu,” he moaned. Thank you for asking. I don’t know how you said that, but I think I’m doing better now.

By now, people had noticed. The battle had paused. A few soldiers were still punching zombies, but in slow motion, so they could watch what Ava was doing.

“What do you think you’re doing?” one of the soldiers asked.

Ava rolled her eyes at him. Finally, Ava said, “This zombie’s name is Manon, and he said he wants to be good.”

After Ava said that, Manon made a speech in zombie to the zombies. After 20 minutes, the zombies came toward the castle.

“First, you kill my soldiers. Then, you take my zombies. That means I will have to end you,” said Maia in the meanest of voices. She was saying that while she drew her sword.

“No,” said Alison in a strong voice. Her tone was soft but strong. She was saying that while she crossed her arms.

“What did you just say to your older sibling?” said Maia, while she moved her sword closer to Alison.

“My older what?” asked Alison, as she her eyes widened. She was in awe about how she had a sister. She had always wanted a sister.

“Fine. I’ll tell you the story while you’re here,” said Maia as she rolled her eyes.

“Tell me now,” said Alison, as she clenched her fists.

“I AM!” hollered Maia.

“Yay,” said Alison in a small voice.

“Once upon a time, there lived a queen and king named Hannah and Tony. Shortly after we were born, they divorced. I went to live with Mom, and you lived with Dad. I never got to know you, and you never got to know me. The end,” said Maia with feeling.

“Why are you bad?” asked Alison.

“I wanted more respect. You are the only person who respects me,” said Maia in a sorrowful voice.

“Why don’t you live with me?” said Alison happily. “We can take turns ruling!”